Life is given...

...not to live for the glory of ourselves, but for Jesus Christ.

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever.  Amen."  Romans 11:36

False Teachers

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep... and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority."  2 Peter 2:1-3, 10

False prophets and teachers have been around a long time.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that they will be prolific before the rapture - see verse 11.  Peter tells us at first, they won't be recognized.  Their false teaching begins in secret.  They plant seeds of destruction.  If we are not watchful and careful, checking out what teachers say with scripture, we can be exploited and sent on a destructive path.  Pay careful attention to what they say about Jesus.  Verse ten really caught my attention when I was reading this passage.  They despise authority.  Beware of pastors and teachers that reject accountability - that do not surround themselves with men (and women with women, in women's ministries) that will keep them walking in the light.  Steer clear of churches that are one man shows and watch out for those in your church that want to go it alone.  False teachers ultimately become manifest, with what they do and say about Jesus.

It's so important to be in the Word...know the True Teacher, in and out - He walked this earth in submission to the Father  - when we know the True Teacher, it will be easier to spot the false ones...

God's Masterpiece

I will disappoint you, because
I am sinful and flawed.
I will fail 

you at times,

because I am God's workmanship,
in progress. When He is finished with His
masterpiece you will see only Jesus. Right now,
because of the blood of Jesus Christ, the Father sees
 His children like His Son.  We are justified.  We are seated
with Him in the heavenlies. But there are parts of us that remain,
that do not image Him. The Father is sculpting, trimming away
those parts, changing us and shaping us into a perfect image
 bearer of His Son.  I will be your friend.  I will listen to you. I
will laugh with you. I will encourage you.  I will admonish 

you.  I will pray for you.  I will hug you when you are
discouraged, but Jesus loves you perfectly and
the One who loves perfectly, completely

satisfies. Look to Jesus for your

perfect satisfaction
and identity,
because, I will disappoint
and fail you at times, but Jesus never will.

Changed, or Not?

How do we know we have been changed?

Is it possible to know?

Yes...

"...for by what he saw and heard that righteous man (Lot), while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds."  2 Peter 2:8

Sin will torment us.  If we are comfortable, day after day with what God hates, with what clearly goes against His Word, we most likely have not been changed...

As we grow in our knowledge of Christ, so will our hatred of sin.  A simple truth, but it is also the difference between eternal, abundant life, and death.  The danger of not being in the Word on a daily basis, is that it causes us to get comfortable with sin.

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?"  

2 Corinthians 13:5

God's workmanship begins when we have repented and turned from our sin.  We have assurance that we are His masterpiece in progress, when our hatred and mourning over sin continues, and we continue to live a life of repentance and obedience.

Oh! Great is Our God!

Dear Blog Reader Friends:

If you haven't heard this song before, I think you are going to LOVE it.  Heard it for the first time today (and probably the twentieth time, too) and it's already now a favorite.  It's a great song to edit wedding pictures to. I did run into a bit of a problem, however...when your hands are reaching up to the sky...nothing is happening with the mouse...

Enjoy, and worship greatly...

Overcomer

Grace and Peace, Multiplied

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you

in the knowledge of God 

 and of Jesus our Lord."

2 Peter 1:2

Grace and peace have but one source, 

God.

Grace and peace are experiential, 

through knowledge of God.

When the sense of grace 

(God's unearned favor in our lives) 

and peace 

(God's tranquility in our hearts) 

ends,

we have stopped the pursuit and chasing after of the Father,

and Jesus.

The sense of grace and peace multiplies,

it grows,

it enlarges in our hearts and minds,

as knowledge of our Heavenly Father

and Wonderful Savior,

 is enlarged and grows.

As clean, pure water is vital to keeping a plant 

vibrant and nourished, 

so is being in the Word vital to experiencing God's lavish grace and sweet peace...have you had your soaking, today?

Daniel Turns Four